


The Risk of Being Seen

by Brumeier



Series: Fairly Marvelous Tales [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Ballroom Dancing, Birthday Party, Cinderella Elements, First Kiss, First Meetings, Happy Ending, M/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22472218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: Bucky had been against the party from the start, but then he met Steve. When Steve runs off, Bucky is determined to find him.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Fairly Marvelous Tales [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2103969
Comments: 17
Kudos: 99
Collections: What If? AU Challenge





	The Risk of Being Seen

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Whatif_AU: royalty

“I don’t want a party.”

Prince James Buchanan Barnes, Bucky to his friends, Heir to the Throne of the kingdom of Brook-Lein, sat in his father’s conference room, arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

“This isn’t about what you want,” his father replied patiently. “It’s what you need.”

King George continued to scratch away at the parchment in front of him. He had a royal scribe but often preferred to pen his own correspondence.

“I don’t _need_ a party, then.”

Bucky knew he sounded contrary, but parties were for kids and he wasn’t a kid anymore. He was turning twenty-one and would’ve preferred a small get-together with his closest friends, not a huge soiree half the kingdom had been invited to.

“Son, it’s high time you started thinking about settling down.” King George signed his parchment with a flourish and set his fountain pen back in the stand. “It’s time to focus on your future.”

As if Bucky had never given it a thought. He was the only son and heir to the throne, so his future was pretty much written in stone. He’d been given the best education money could buy and had traveled far beyond the boundaries of his father’s kingdom so that he’d have the benefit of experiencing a larger world. All in the service of being a well-rounded future ruler.

It wasn’t like he could really complain.

“You think I’ll find someone I want to marry at a birthday party? Come on, Pop.”

“I met your mother at a party.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Times have changed.”

King George just shook his head, looking amused. “Your mother wants to throw you a party. Maybe you meet someone, maybe you don’t. All the eligible men and women in the kingdom will be there.”

There was no sense in asking what made someone eligible; Bucky’s mother had her own ideas about what constituted a suitable match for her only son. And changing her mind would be impossible.

“I’m not helping,” he said, knowing he sounded like a petulant young boy.

“Your mother has a team already working on it.”

Bucky sighed. Of course she did. Sometimes he envied the village guys his age, who were encouraged to move out and make their own way. He may have had his own wing in the castle, but he was still just a guy who lived with his parents.

“I’m going out for a ride.”

*o*o*o*

Bucky watched his parents waltz around the ballroom, chatting and smiling at each other as they did so. He was taking a break from the dancing himself. He’d had so many dance partners he knew he’d never remember any of their names. The whole night was already blurring in his mind.

He had to give his mother credit, though: the so-called eligible types were either ridiculously attractive or impressively smart. She’d done her best to find people his own age that shared at least one of his interests. Too bad they were all so eager to get a chance to be royalty.

No-one really stuck out, though. Not till _he_ arrived.

He appeared at the top of the stairs, a full hour late to the party. He looked like Apollo standing there, blond and blue-eyed and so well-sculpted he might’ve been made from marble. He was dressed boldly in white and blue and red, but he looked uncertain. Shy.

Bucky watched him descend the stairs, tripping a few times like some kind of awkward, gangly kid even though he was neither of those things. Apollo skirted the room, not being outwardly rude to anyone but not going out of his way to mingle either, and made his way unerringly to the tables that had been set up with finger food.

Keeping his back to most of the crowd, Apollo started eating. Delicate canapes, flaky pastries, petite fours – they were all consumed in rapid succession. He even wrapped a few in napkins and slipped them into his pockets. Bucky had seen some of the ladies do the same, but with far more discretion.

“Andrew!” Bucky called. His valet appeared at his side almost instantly.

“Yes, sir?”

“Hold this for me.” Bucky pulled the crown off his head and dropped it into Andrew's hands.

He ran his fingers through his hair, roughing it up a bit, and headed for the food table.

“Have you tried the mushrooms? They’re really good.”

Apollo turned wide eyes on him, his cheeks amusingly puffy with whatever he was still chewing on. He looked ready to bolt, and then must’ve swallowed wrong because he started coughing and choking, his face going red.

“Hey, whoa. Take it easy.” Bucky handed him a cup of champagne punch. 

The guy took a few minutes to get himself under control, going through two more cups of punch in the process. By the time he was done, his face was merely flushed pink instead of dark red.

“Sorry,” he said. He bent at the waist, one arm crossed over his chest. “Your highness.”

“It’s just Bucky. Do you have a name, or shall I call you the Human Squirrel?”

“Steve Ro…uh…Steve. Just Steve.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow at that but didn’t comment. Behind them, the waltz turned into a two-step. “Would you care to dance?”

Wide, panicked eyes again, but when Bucky held out his hand, Steve took it.

Unlike the other male partners Bucky had danced with that night, Steve didn’t try to lead to show off his prowess. On the contrary, Steve seemed tentative and uncertain, holding himself very stiffly.

“Relax,” Bucky murmured. “It’s just dancing.”

The other people on the dance floor moved back, giving them plenty of room. Bucky walked Steve backward, doing his best not to step on the other man’s feet which were never where they were supposed to be.

“Everyone’s watching,” Steve said.

“Close your eyes,” Bucky suggested. “Trust me.”

Steve seemed reluctant, but he did as Bucky asked. It was easier after that. Steve knew the steps, and when he wasn’t worried about being watched his movements were much smoother.

“See? Just dancing.”

Steve kept his eyes closed, but his lips curled up in a grin. 

“So, did you come here with the plans of wooing me? Or just for the free food?” Bucky asked, amused when Steve blushed.

“My mother came to a royal ball once. She said it was the most beautiful, grand thing she’d ever seen. Some of my neighbors received invitations. I…uh. I don’t exactly have one.” Steve ducked his head. “I told Ma I got one. Made a copy. She was so excited.”

That was ridiculously heart-warming. He’d come to the party to make his mother happy. Bucky didn’t know how he’d copied an invitation closely enough to pass for the real thing, but was glad for it. Although now he was curious why his mother hadn’t considered Steve a worthy suitor.

“Tell me something about yourself,” Bucky said. “Anything.”

Steve opened his eyes, still moving smoothly across the dance floor. “I like to sketch. And paint, when I can afford to purchase the pigments.”

Another surprise. And an in for Bucky. When the music changed again, he offered to show Steve the castle’s art gallery, which few commoners had ever gotten to see. There was certainly nothing common about Steve.

“You shouldn’t keep these locked up in here,” Steve said, admiring centuries worth of paintings and sculpture. “Everyone should be able to enjoy them. Beauty should be shared.”

He gave each piece his full attention, remarking on brush strokes and color choices and theme. Bucky was more of a science guy, but with Steve walking him through each piece he found the art much more enjoyable. It was like he was seeing each piece for the first time.

“You can come here any time,” Bucky promised. “I insist. You can bring your mother.”

Steve smiled shyly at him, and Bucky sidled a little closer. 

“I’d very much like it if you came back,” he said.

Steve leaned closer as well, and it would have been easy for Bucky to bridge that small gap and kiss him. He really wanted to do that. There was something about Steve that held him in thrall, a sense that he was good and kind and not looking to slither his way into the castle for the power and prestige.

“I –” Steve started to say, his eyes drifting down to Bucky’s mouth, when the big clock in the castle tower started to chime the hour. “Oh! I have to go!”

Bucky blinked at him, trying to comprehend the immediate change in mood. “What?”

“I’m sorry. I had a really good time.”

Steve was pulling away, eyes darting around like he was looking for the nearest exit.

“Wait! Please stay!”

But Steve turned and ran, and Bucky gave chase. He didn’t understand what was going on, or why Steve felt compelled to leave when they were just starting to have a good time together. Had he said or done something to spook Steve?

The man was fast. And he gained an edge when the Captain of the Guard stepped into Bucky’s path to see what had the prince running full tilt through the castle. By the time Bucky extricated himself, Steve was gone.

“Sir,” the Captain said, handing Bucky a folded piece of parchment. “This dropped from his pocket.”

Bucky unfolded it, looking at a sketch that had been done of his likeness. It was very professionally done, except for the little heart that had been added in the bottom corner next to the initials SR.

Steve may not have come to the party to woo Bucky, but that’s what had happened just the same.

“We have to find him,” Bucky said.

*o*o*o*

“We can find no-one that matches your description, your highness,” the Captain of the Guard said apologetically. “My men have been going door to door, as you requested.”

“You’ve talked to everyone in the surrounding villages?” Queen Winifred asked.

“Yes, my Lady.”

Bucky growled in frustration. How hard could it be to find one very muscular artist with a shy smile? He put his hand in his pocket, running this thumb along the edge of the folded sketch.

“If you please, your majesty,” a timid voice said. 

Everyone turned to look at the servant girl. She was clutching a pitcher of water against her chest, eyes wide.

“Speak, child,” Queen Winifred said kindly.

“There is a woman who lives at the edge of the forest. A midwife. She has a son who draws many pictures for the village children.”

The Captain shook his head. “I saw the boy. He does not match the physical description.”

“What did he look like?” Bucky asked. “Did you speak with him?”

“His mother would not allow it, your highness. But he wasn’t the right Steve. He was slight of stature.”

“Blond hair? Blue eyes?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll ride out at once,” Bucky declared.

He was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the man who’d charmed him at the party over a week ago.

It was a long ride to the edge of the forest, upwards of an hour, and Bucky was fairly quivering with nerves once they arrived at an unassuming little house that backed into the trees. He’d barely dismounted when the front door opened and a frail-looking woman came out.

“I told you to stay away!”

“May I present James Buchanan Barnes, Prince of Brook-Lein,” the Captain said.

The woman gave him a wild-eyed look before dipping down into a low curtsy. “Your highness.”

“Mrs. Rogers?” Bucky held out his hand and the woman reluctantly took it, standing up and looking everywhere but at him. “I would very much like to have a word with your son.”

“You don’t understand,” she said in a hushed voice. “I won’t have you hurting him.”

“I would never hurt him,” Bucky promised.

“It was just a silly wish, a dream my heart made that somehow came true.” Mrs. Rogers finally looked at him, and Bucky could see the resemblance to Steve on her face. “But dreams fade in the sun.”

Bucky would’ve asked what she meant by that, but then Steve emerged from the house and he momentarily forgot how to form intelligible words.

He was definitely the Steve Bucky had been looking for, but gone were the big sculpted muscles. Steve was still tall, but now slender. Not quite delicate, but much more graceful and confident with his own body. His true body.

“I never meant to lie,” Steve said. “I’m sorry.”

Bucky pulled the sketch from his pocket and held it out. “You dropped this when you left.”

Steve took it, his shy, blushing expression familiar and just as endearing as it had been the last time. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

“And you weren’t supposed to leave. I was having a really good time getting to know you.”

“That wasn’t really me.”

“Maybe not the packaging. But the man inside, that’s who I want to know.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Bucky grinned at him, and Steve grinned back, and he finally felt like things were going to be okay.

“Would you and your mother do me the honor of dining with my family at the castle this evening?”

Steve and his mother exchanged a look, seeming to have a full conversation without speaking a single word.

“We would be honored.”

*o*o*o*

**Seven Months Later**

“You outdid yourself,” Bucky said, looking around the newly completed Brook-Lein Museum of the Arts. “Everything ready for the grand opening?”

Steve stood there, hands on his hips, dirt smudges on his shirt, and nodded. “Some of the paintings from the storage cellar still need restoring, but almost everything else is here.”

Everything from the castle gallery was on display, plus some other pieces that had been donated by surrounding kingdoms. Bucky had made sure the security was top-notch to keep the threat of thievery down. The grand opening would take place in two day’s time, with doors open to everyone in the kingdom who wished to view the rare and beautiful art pieces.

“I don’t know,” Bucky said. “There’s still missing something.”

“There is?”

Bucky moved to a little niche in the wall by the main entrance and removed the delicate Wedgewood vase that was resting there, handing it off to the curator Steve had chosen to manage the museum. In exchange, the curator handed Bucky a small, framed piece of artwork which he hung in the niche.

It was the sketch Steve had made of Bucky before they’d ever met.

“That’s not fine art,” Steve protested, blushing.

“It is to me. And so are you.”

Bucky tugged him close and kissed him. As delicate as Steve may have seemed from the outside, he could be aggressive and possessive in equal measure in other areas. Kissing being one of them. It never failed to send a spark of lightning down Bucky’s spine. His mother would probably be horrified to know that her son wouldn’t be entering his marriage a virgin, but he felt no shame about it. 

Steve was an amazing lover.

Before things got too out of hand and they did something inappropriate on the shiny marble floor, Bucky took a step back.

“Pretty sure our mothers are conspiring to get us to set a wedding date,” he said. “Now that this project is wrapped up, I suspect planning a wedding will be the next one we’re tasked with.”

“Good. I’m tired of sneaking in and out of your room every night,” Steve replied.

“Insatiable.”

“Guilty as charged.”

They walked out of the museum hand-in-hand.

**Author's Note:**

>  **AN:** Title inspired by a quote from the 2015 live-action Cinderella movie: ‘This is perhaps the greatest risk that any of us will take. To be seen as we truly are.’


End file.
